xorg.conf is left empty by installer

[Arthur Peters]

/etc/X11/xorg.conf is left completely empty by the installer on a fresh AMD64 install using daily 20060124.

Because the file was empty X did not start. The error message complained about the lack of a Device section.

I ran "X -configure" to generate a file, but the generated file referenced a non-existant device file, /dev/mouse, and did not include the correct resolution for the widescreen LCD (I will attach the log file and config file) so I copied the config from my old stable install.

[Arthur Peters (amp)]

/var/log/Xorg.0.log from after starting X with the X -configure generated file.

[Arthur Peters (amp)]

The config file generated by X -configure

[Timo Aaltonen (tjaalton)]

I can confirm that the installer leaves an empty xorg.conf. Running "dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg" makes a valid one. I'm using preseeded netboot-installs and usually run those almost daily, so it was easy to notice. Before the restructuring of the X.org packages things used to work.

[Martin Pitt (pitti)]

confirmed with today's ppc/install.

[Martin Pitt (pitti)]

raising severity

[Timo Aaltonen (tjaalton)]

Ok, let me rephrase my last comment. It isn't the installer leaving the file empty, but xserver-xorg which gets installed :)

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

Just spotted the reason. I'll take this.

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

xorg (7.0.0-0ubuntu11) dapper; urgency=low

  * Fix first-installation logic to cope with being called from the postinst
    too (closes: Malone #29564).

 -- Colin Watson <email address hidden> Fri, 27 Jan 2006 18:22:46 +0000

[Xan (dxpublica)]

Collin,
This happens too in 9.04 with alternate install and amd64 cd.

I atach the lshw.

Not of all,
Xan.

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

On Fri, Jul 10, 2009 at 03:09:13PM -0000, Xan wrote:
> Collin,

You don't need to use my name to get my attention in bug reports, but if
you do please spell it correctly; it's quite short and easy to spell.
;-)

> This happens too in 9.04 with alternate install and amd64 cd.

While it was a bug at the time this report was originally filed, I don't
think this is a bug in modern environments. Nowadays, X is generally
expected to be able to autodetect things with an empty xorg.conf, and if
it doesn't then it counts as a bug in X rather than in the installer.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/DebuggingXAutoconfiguration and the
various links under that may help.